Monuments to visit

The Cathedral of Cefalù, according to legend, was built as a result of the vow to the blessed Salavtore by Ruggero II, escaped to a storm and landed on the beaches of the town. The real reason seems rather political-military nature, given its character of a fortress. Construction events were complex, with significant difference compared to the initial project, and the building was never completed finally. The Cathedral is among those proposed to Unesco within the framework of the Arab-Norman Itinerary of Palermo, Cefalù and Monreale as world heritage site. The explorations carried out in the Cathedral have revealed a Byzantine polychrome mosaic polychrome assignable to 6th century: a central field in which there are some figures, framed by a motif of spinners and scales in the colours red, black and white, at least on one side, with a row of squares diagonally Central rose cut. The decorative repertoire find comparisons in Sicily. The mosaic is to be connected with a wall structure with three burials and was likely related to a Byzantine basilica, which is not possible to reconstruct the plan due to the presence of overlying structures of the Cathedral. The materials recovered in the polls attest to a human presence in the area until at least the 8th century, the period when Cefalù was already an episcopal seat.